RE: Hitech Filters - UK Suppliers

[Clive Warren <Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 3:12 pm +0000 27/2/01, Brewer, Kevan wrote:
>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>  > From: Clive Warren [mailto:Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>  >
>>  Kevan,
>>
>>  HiTech are part of Formatt Filters - all bought out by VFG who are a
>>  London based pro. lighting company.  Formatt now concentrate on the
>>  high end video market.
>>
>>  They stopped making infrared filters a long time ago.
>>
>>  One alternative supplier of "P" size infrared filters is CoCam :-)
>>  10% discount to IRlist members.
>
>Clive,
>
>Thanks for that, I thought you'd be able to supply. BTW I'm interested to know
>why there is a 4x price difference between the 25 and the 89B. All the HiTech
>ones were about £10 each.
>

Kevan,

The reason for the price difference is that Infrared filters are much 
harder to make. The manufacturers use a dye in the process which 
gives the filter its properties - chemically it is harder to disperse 
the infrared dye through the resin when it is being mixed.

There is a 50% rejection rate at the manufacturers and then a 60% 
rejection rate when CoCam buy the filters and subject them to quality 
control. The manufacturers charge more and so does CoCam to cover the 
losses.

In addition to this, the filters have to be manufactured in minimum 
quantities and inevitably you end up with a lot of money tied up in 
slow moving items. CoCam has not made a profit on selling Infrared 
filters - yet!

As far as I know, HiTech stopped making infrared filters a long time 
ago - the price you quote is excellent but because of the inherent 
problems in manufacturing it would be a good idea to test any old 
filters discovered on a shelf before using them.......  To my 
knowledge, HiTech made a loss on their infrared filters - one of the 
reasons they were cut from the product line.


-- 
All the best,

              Clive   http://www.cocam.co.uk
                      Photographic Services, Filters and Equipment, Infrared FAQ
			http://www.f32.net
			Large Format Travel and Stock Photography
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